Vancouver’s Grouse Mountain Opens on Saturday

Grouse Mountain launches 82nd ski season opening
Enthusiastic skiers and snowboarders get their first taste of Paradise

December 12, 2008, Grouse Mountain, North Vancouver, B.C. – Mother nature is right on time at the peak of Vancouver as Grouse Mountain marks a momentous 82nd ski season opening on Saturday, December 13, 2008. Snow enthusiasts can look forward to swapping their sunglasses for goggles as they journey along the newly installed Greenway Chair, and ski or snowboard along the famed Paradise run.

“The accumulated snowfall coupled with the arrival of colder temperatures make this opening possible,” says General Manager Michael Cameron. “We look forward to a robust ski and snowboard season, and will continue to supplement the present favourable conditions with our own snowmaking efforts.”

As the latest major installment for the 2008/2009 season, the Greenway Chair will take three-minutes to cover the 188-metre distance from the bottom to the top of Paradise Park, the resort’s renowned beginner terrain that has provided safe first tracks to millions of budding skiers and riders. The new lift is born of Grouse Mountain’s commitment to continuously add value to the alpine experience for its loyal guests, as well as enhance the learning experience through alleviated wait times, ease of use, and state of the art safety technology.

The quad chair, complete with North America’s first ever child restraints, will provide easy access for children and beginners to take in more runs per session with significantly reduced wait times for passage to the top of the bowl. The Greenway chair will also provide easy circulation from the base of the Peak ski run back to the Alpine Chalet.

Grouse Mountain’s snowmaking fleet and experienced snowmaking team – still the largest and most extensive on the North Shore – have once again expedited the season opening process and given the resort a competitive edge in terms of opening snow conditions.

About Grouse Mountain Resorts Limited
From sophisticated entertainment to unspoiled nature, Grouse Mountain is the pre-eminent all-in-one, four season destination with something for everyone. The wilderness paradise is located 15-minutes from downtown Vancouver, and the famous Grouse Mountain Skyride (North America’s largest aerial tram system) takes visitors on a one-mile aerial journey to the Alpine Station, 3,700 feet above sea level. Breathtaking panoramic views of the city, sea and surrounding mountains unfold, culminating with a summit altitude of 4,100 feet. Grouse Mountain was named by a visiting hiking party in 1894, after they encountered a blue grouse bird on the alpine slopes. Today, Grouse Mountain enjoys the status of Vancouver’s most visited attraction receiving over one million visitors each year.